


Military Academy

by herilaveur



Category: SKAM (France)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 08:15:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,004
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27679966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/herilaveur/pseuds/herilaveur
Summary: Lucas has been going to military high school for a year now. Over there, it's another world, on the way between high school and prison, especially for him.But as soon as school starts, he knows that this year will be different, and this is because of the new guy who has just joined the senior class.AU where Lucas and Eliott meet at the military high school. A story where Eliott is a new, rebellious, and where Lucas is the bad boy, always ready to break the rules.
Relationships: Eliott Demaury/Lucas Lallemant
Comments: 71
Kudos: 90





	1. The uniform

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, 
> 
> Ready for my new fic? 
> 
> I dedicate it to Nastya_FCB who translates my fics on a Russian fandom site and who one day put in the comments that she would have liked to see Eliott in military uniform (so this first chapter, especially is for you).
> 
> I have nothing against the military, far from it, but you will see that in this fic, some are really mean. I don't want to criticize the military world, this is just a fiction.
> 
> Come on, let's go...

Lucas folds up his _Romance_ sweater with a sigh. He would so much like to be able to stay here and dress in the clothes he loves every day. He puts it away from his closet, his heart heavy and pulls out the fucking green t-shirt. He has barely put it on when a knock at his door rings.

''You can come in, Mom.''

He grabs his military jacket and puts it on while watching his mother slowly enter his room. Most of his friends' parents are proud to see them in uniform, but Lucas knows his mom hates it and it just makes her sad.

''I'm so sorry, Lucas. I really wish you could have stayed with me."

Lucas puts his hand on her shoulder and smiles. He knows that. He knows that his mom tried everything to keep his custody, but his dad used his illness against her to get custody of Lucas and send him to fucking military school. So he's been in military high school for a year now and he only comes home to his mother's house for school vacations.

''Don't worry mom, it's okay. Things are going well there, and my friends are really nice."

His mother takes a nice smile that Lucas loves to see on her face. 

''That's true. I feel good about meeting them. They're really nice."

Lucas smiles back. He was really happy that the guys could come to his house for a week. They had a great week skateboarding and playing video games. It's weird to see them out of their uniforms, but it was really cool.

Lucas looks in the mirror and sighs. Only two more years and he can leave this school. Leave that uniform he hates. But in the meantime, he puts his cell phone in his pocket and sighs. It's the only thing he's allowed to take to school and he's only allowed to check it once a week unless he's grounded.

And since Lucas is often...very often punished, he's not allowed to check his messages very often, but when he does, he gets several messages from his mother and it always makes him feel better. It really reassures him to see that she's better now.

Lucas takes one last look at his hair and runs his hand through it. He didn't cut it during the two month vacation so it grew really well. Yann and Arthur said they would shave their heads before going back to school but Basile and Lucas, said they wouldn't do it. They know they should have done it and that they will be sent with the new ones to go through the shearing room but Lucas doesn't care. He grabs his bag, the same gross green color as his T-shirt, containing his course books, and passes it over his shoulder. They are not allowed any personal belongings, even the pencils are provided by the high school.

He hugs his mother one last time on the station platform before boarding the train. Sometimes he imagines that in another universe he does not get off the train to take the bus to school. Sometimes he imagines that he's leaving and hiding somewhere until he comes of age. And then he thinks of his mother who would have died of anxiety, so like after every vacation, he gets off at the right stop and joins the other "prisoners" who get on the bus.

''Lulu!''

Basile's smile is good to see. Indeed he hasn't cut his hair and Lucas passes a hand inside just because it makes Basile smile.

''Nice curls.''

Basile nods with a smile.

''You look good with hair too. Damn if only I could keep it. Fuck that. I hate to have to go back.''

Lucas nods his head as he gets on the bus behind him. Basile is forcibly sent by educators from a home. He was placed in a home, but because he kept running away because he wanted to go home and take care of his mentally ill mother, they ended up placing him in the military high school. Lucas can only too well understand how Basile feels about his mother and that's probably why they get along so well together.

''Yeah, me too.''

It's not really about hair, it's more about individuality. Cause they're all in fucking uniforms already, but they all have to have their hair shaved. Which is totally dumb because Lucas has a super cold head because of that. But it's not like they have a choice anyway.

Lucas and Basile talk all the way through, enjoying the last few minutes of freedom of expression. Yann and Arthur arrive by another bus. Arthur is sent to the school by his father who caught him smoking pot and wants him to follow discipline and Yann is there because his brother was killed over drugs and his parents don't want him to turn bad too.

There are 6 buses from all over France that arrive to the school, but as the newcomers often come with their parents, on the first day of the school year, the buses are often empty. And it's definitely the case. Lucas reluctantly gets up when the bus pulls up in front of the stupid fucking building and he sighs through the gate. Basile elbows him slightly, and that makes Lucas smile. They join the ranks already formed by the students who arrived before them and Lucas looks at Yann then Arthur, letting his eyes greet them, not being able to speak to them or give them a sign now. In less than five minutes, they are all grouped in tight order, in 4 groups: the sophmore years, the junior years, the senior years and the new ones from junior and senior years if there are any. The school has 75 recruits, or 25 students per level.

''Bag on the ground!''

Lucas puts his bag next to his feet, and watches with the corner of his eye the sophmore years students who hesitate and then do the same thing. Lucas remembers how he suffered on the first day of school last year. But luckily that very evening he met the three guys who share his room and they became real friends.

''Rest.''

Lucas puts his head down like all the others guys and looks at his shoes.

"Lallemant!"

Lucas stands at attention, all the anger getting inside him just by the call of his name. He clenches his fists, feeling his jaw tighten as his body muscles tighten as Sergeant Martin moves towards him. He takes care of the 1st years, so Lucas won't have him from now on and it's very good because they hate each other since they first met.

''Do you think you're privileged, Lallemant?''

''No, Sergeant!''

''Then why haven't you shaved your hair off?''

Lucas keeps his mouth shut, clutching his lips but not letting go of the instructor's gaze.

''Answer!''

''I didn't feel like it, Sergeant!''

''Because you think you're being asked for your opinion?''

As Lucas suspected, the Sergeant grabbed his hair and pulled it out, trying to force Lucas to move but despite the pain Lucas did not move.

"You want to shame me in front of the other sergeants? That they think I wasn't hard enough on you?"

''No, sir!''.

Lucas is forced to hold his smile but he has a fucking smile inside him while the Sergeant pulls his hair harder.

''They say : No, Sergeant.''.

''Yes, Sergeant.''

The sergeant lets him go with an angry grunt and shows him the group of guys furthest to the right.

"With the new guys! Execution!"

Lucas picks up his bag and joins the ranks with a smile forming on his face now that the other sergeants can't see him. He looks up to see where to position himself and freezes in place. One of the new ones looks at him, smiles softly at him, and suddenly it's as if the world has stopped. He has a beautiful fucking smile and laughing eyes that no one ever has, here. He has black pants with holes in his knees, a black hoodie and a brown jacket. And the only consistent thought Lucas can come up with is that he hates their uniforms even more because this guy is really handsome the way it is.

"Lallemant!"

Lucas is startled and feels pushed forward.

''On the floor. Ten push-ups.''

He puts his bag down and does the push-ups without even thinking about it before getting up and taking his place in the group. "Mister Dickhead", as Lucas calls him in his head, leaves for the inspection of the rows and Lucas takes the opportunity to look at the guy who is a few places to his right. The guy is already looking at him and smiles at him again before looking away. And now Lucas is sure: he has blue eyes. An intriguing midnight blue.

"Savary!"

Lucas has to make a superhuman effort not to turn his head and he hopes that Basile will not suffer.

''Did you want to be like your boyfriend?''

''No, Sergeant! I don't have a boyfriend, Sergeant!"

''Then why didn't you shave your hair like the rest of your platoon?''

''Cause my razor broke when I tried it on. I started there and the machine broke, Sergeant Martin!''

Lucas turns his head to see Basile lifting up part of his hair and he sees that everyone is doing the same. Most of them start giggling when they see the tiny strip of shaved hair.

''Shut up in the ranks.'' the sergeant yells "Okay, go with the new guys. Next time buy a sheep clipper!"

As he passes in front of Lucas, Basile winks at him knowing full well that no one will see him and Lucas really has to hold back smiling. Basile is a fucking genius.

''Are they up and running?''

Lucas gets restless when he hears Major Mark's voice.

''Yes, Major!''

Lucas sees exactly when the school principal spots him.

''Why are Lallemant and Savary with the new guys?''

Lucas doesn't even listen to the answer, he's too busy making eye contact with the fucking asshole.

''The new guys are on the move with me!''

Lucas picks up his bag and starts walking, feeling all the anger overwhelming him. He has to take several deep breaths to calm himself down and convince himself that ripping the head off the principal's head is not a good idea. They reach the courtyard where a chair is already waiting for them.

"Lallemant, first."

Lucas steps forward, and even though he knows he will regret this gesture, he runs a hand through his hair one last time. And indeed, this gesture immediately annoys the major who advances to him.

"A man doesn't have to worry about his appearance. He should be concerned about being useful to society and his family. You are useless. You are not a man. We will make you a man, a real one. Shave him."

Lucas feels himself boiling from the inside and stares at the major with clenched teeth. He doesn't move for a second when the mower touches him. He doesn't close his eyes like some people do. Here, he must never close his eyes. He looks straight ahead, into the eyes of that asshole being in front of him.

''Lower your eyes!''

Lucas does not move and as he expects, he receives a slap that makes some students utter a surprised cry, but he does not lower his eyes.

''Holidays at your mother's house are never good for you. We'll have to find a solution to that."

Lucas immediately looks down for fear that he won't be able to go home next vacation. The one shaving him pushes him to tell him it's over and waves to someone else to come and take his place. Lucas joins the ranks and watches Basile lose his curls. Basile closes his eyes and clenches his fists but he says nothing. 

The new ones pass and only this blue-eyed guy is left. He looks at Lucas, smiles at him and runs his hand through his hair. He has brown hair scattered all over his head and he has tousled it a little more, but he hasn't moved from his house.

The major looks at his file and then comes to stand in front of him.

''Demaury?''

''It's me.''

Lucas smiles, restraining himself from laughing.

''Do we say : yes, Major.''

The guy looks at the Major and remains speechless, his face totally inexpressive.

''Don't worry, we know how to deal with rebels here. Go sit down!"

The guy doesn't move and Lucas starts to get really scared for him. Is he unconscious, dumb, or just really angry?

''Do you know the rules, Demaury?''

''Yes, sir.''

Lucas sees the Major change color to red and he starts giggling.

''Lallemant! You think that's funny? You win a week of chores!"

''He has nothing to do with it, Major! I'll do the chores!"

The famous Demaury almost spits at the Major because he barks so loudly, taking exactly the same tone as all the instructors at this school, and even though he thinks it's incredible, Lucas has to really hold his tongue to tell him to shut up.

''Lallemant, two weeks of chores!''

Lucas stands still because he knows that the major is watching him but he prays inside for the new guy to shut up.

"He doesn't have to take the chores for me, he hasn't done anything!"

''Lallemant, three weeks!''

This time the guy finally shuts up and Lucas thanks him mentally.

''Now Demaury in the chair! Otherwise it's two months for Lallemant!"

Lucas is already getting ready to take the two months because the guy certainly doesn't care, but against all odds he's going to sit in the chair. And as he's now right in front of him, he looks him in the eyes while his hair falls on the floor. Lucas sketches a tiny smile, wanting to show him that he doesn't blame him. He knows it's not his fault anyway.

As soon as it's finished, the guy stands up, facing the major and it makes Lucas smile because the major has to raise his head to look at him.

''3 weeks of chores, Demaury! I've got my eye on you. Savary, 1 day for lack of anticipation."

The new one lowers his head and comes and stands right next to Lucas. For a few seconds, Lucas is afraid that he try to talk to him but fortunately this time he holds his tongue.

''Lallemant! Savary! Take them to the lingerie.''

Lucas grabs his bag and walks towards the building without a word. He leads the way, beckons Basile to come to the end and leads the new students to the laundry room.

Franck welcomes him with a big smile. In this high school, there are three nice people: Franck who takes care of the laundry, Maria who takes care of the refectory and Olivia, the nurse, even if she's a bit strange at times. Franck looks around to see if there is an instructor accompanying them and leans over his counter to bang his fist against Lucas'.

''Hi Lucas. Already grounded?"

''Yeah. I got three weeks," says Lucas with a big smile.

Franck gently taps him on the back of the head.

''See you tonight then. I knew I missed you. Okay. Come on, newbies, come get your uniforms."

''Demaury, you're first.'' says Lucas, trying not to get red cheeks.

The guy frowns as he looks at him but steps forward and picks up the package that Frank hands him.

"You're going to change in there and you put all your personal stuff in that bag."

Lucas opens the door of the room where all the students lose their identity and closes it behind them before moving forward to open the door to the outside. The guy is about to speak but Lucas signals him to shut up, showing him the microphone in a corner of the room. He comes back to him, just to be able to whisper.

''Anything you keep will be thrown away. If you want something to keep, give it to me.''

The guy hesitates, frowns and then takes off a ring that is reaching out to Lucas. Lucas nods and walks out the door to the outside. He sits on the seats outside and waits. 

Eliott goes out a few minutes later and for the first time Lucas likes this fucking uniform.

His pants don't look ten times as big as Lucas', but they look like they were made to measure, just for him, and the worst thing is the way he wears his jacket. He buttoned it up completely, hiding the hideous green shirt underneath, and he rolled up his sleeves to above his elbows, and even though he's clearly going to get yelled at by his instructor for that, it's fucking hot. Even the black rangers look attractive on him. He looks like he's ready to pose for a fashion show.

Eliott sits down on one of the chairs, leaving an empty seat in the middle of them and looks around before looking at Lucas looking sorry.

"I'm really sorry, I"

Lucas shakes his head, looking around if no one comes.

''It's not your fault, okay? I just wanted to tell you, that's why I put you first. Don't blame yourself, he would've punished me anyway. I am still being punished."

The guy frowns, getting a little closer.

"Why?"

"My father is an asshole."

The words came out faster than Lucas would have wanted them. Only his friends know that Major Mark is his father. That's why Lucas took his mother's last name when he came here, so no one would know.

''Are you the major's son?''

Lucas signals him to keep his voice down and nods, unable to stop looking the guy in the eye.

''Shhhtt, almost nobody knows it. Sadly, yes, but I'd rather just be Lucas.''

The guy smiles, gently nodding his head and the door opens, startled them. Basile joins them in sighing, passing a hand over his almost naked skull. 

''Damn, there's two guy already crying, it hurts me too much.'' He sits on the seat in the middle of them and Lucas is sure Basile is smiling now. ''Hi, I'm Basile, one of Lucas' best friends."

Eliott looks at him smiling and bends over to look Lucas in the eyes, over Basile's shoulder.

''I'm Eliott.''

The door opens and little by little the newcomers appear dressed in their uniforms. The major joins them with his angry look.

''Lallemant! Savary! To your group! Demaury, Julien and Rico, join the seniors. Babies, with me!"

Lucas gets up and looks at Eliott who leaves with the other two guys to join the group that the major has just shown him. Basile pulls Lucas by the arm so that they join their bedroom, and Lucas follows him, a smile on their lips. 

_Eliott. His name is Eliott._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So? What do you think of this universe?
> 
> Don't feel like someone is missing? But where are the girls? I promise, we'll go and see them in the next chapter.


	2. The crew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you won't be surprised by the interactions between people, I rather use the characters of Senne and Zoé to write the characters of Charles and Manon (I really like the Zoenne/Robbe relationship in WTFock so I use it here) by the way, when I write, in my head I see Senne and Zoé...
> 
> If you haven't seen WTFock...I can't help you...no I'm kidding ! ! But don't be surprised to see Charles closer to Lucas than at Skam France...

''Lulu, you really need to chill out, man. Your dad's gonna smash you before the end of the week."

Lucas shoots Yann with his eyes, putting his bag on his bed.

''Don't call him that, he hasn't been my father for several years. He's just an asshole. And here he's just the Major. And he won't kill me, he'd be too afraid of reprisals from the army and the national education system."

Yann rolls his eyes as he sits on his bed while Basile's head appears from the top of the bunk bed.

''He hit you, Lucas. And really hard at that. And I wouldn't talk about the three weeks of chores."

''Three weeks?'' Arthur wonders as he gets out of bed, ''Fuck, Lulu.''

"It wasn't my fault. There was a new guy who didn't want to cut his hair and as I chuckled the major gave me a week. And since he kept asking him to reduce my punishment, of course he increased it."

''Yeah, I thought he was never going to shut up! Why do you think he's here, Eliott?"

''Who's Eliott?'' asks Yann.

''The new one. He seems nice, doesn't he, Lulu? You seemed to be talking before I came in."

Lucas puts his foot on the bed and tying his shoelace with a sigh.

''Not really, I was just telling him it wasn't his fault that I would've been punished anyway.''

And that's when, and only when, Lucas remembers that he has Eliott's ring in his uniform pocket. Newbies are always searched, but Lucas knew that he and Basile wouldn't be. And now that he's there, he feels like the ring is burning his skin through the fabric.

The bell rings and they all sigh at the same time, before getting dressed properly and heading out into the yard. They form their row with the other first-rate guys. The seniors are already running and Lucas doesn't have to look long before he notices Eliott. He's taller but above all he runs faster than the others. He looks like he's racing against the guys in his class and Lucas wishes he could yell at him that he's not supposed to do that. Every morning they have to run 4km around the school but they have to keep their positions when they run. They are not allowed to overtake each other or change positions in the line. They have to run as a unit. And what Eliott does is anything but running as a unit. He's overtaking every guy in his class and now Charles and Alex are running to catch him. Instead of forming a well-designed battalion, the 25 seniors start running as fast as they can, as if they were all trying to finish in the lead. 

"On the ground!"

A shot rings out and the seniors who were still running dive to the ground. There are only two seniors left standing and Lucas is happy to see that Eliott had the presence of mind to lie down on the ground. The two new ones flattened themselves when they noticed what was happening and a second shot rang out.

"Sergeant Daiffe, hold your men," shouted the Major as he put away his weapon.

The sergeant salutes the Major who is slinking away, kicking his foot so hard it makes the ground seem to vibrate.

"At attention!"

The sergeant tries to grow up and be scary but everyone knows that he is the nicest guy here. At least Lucas knows it. He's the only Sergeant who seems to have a heart.

Lucas sees Eliott and who looks at him and he makes a kind of wink to him so fast that Lucas wonders if he has dreamed but he does not have time to check that his section leaves to run. And frankly Lucas wonders if he is going to start running at full speed too. He looks at Yann next to him and slowly accelerates the pace but Yann grabs his wrist and pulls him up.

''No, Lulu. No bullshit."

Lucas grunts and joins his place in line. When they come back, the seniors are gone and they leave for class. They eat by class at noon so Lucas doesn't see Eliott all day. He spends the day trying not to think about him and realizing that he can't do it. And yet he knows he shouldn't think like that.

Lucas knows very well that if his father finds out he's gay, he will kill him in a fit of anger. And anyway, Lucas doesn't want to be gay. Not here. Not now. At this time, he just wants to get out of here and have a normal life. So for now, he's just gonna stop looking at this guy. All day long, he convinces himself that there's nothing about Eliott that attracts him. One class after another, Lucas thinks he's imagined it all. Anyway, he can't date a guy here.

And then at 7pm, he meets Eliott's eyes again and all his resolutions disappear. Instead of going to eat with the rest of the students, five of them find themselves in front of the laundry. Lucas takes a big smile when he sees Alex and hits him with his fist before doing the same with Charles.

"I didn't think I'd have this much help for the first night," says Frank as he opens the door for them, "Lucas, of course. Well, Basile, I didn't expect to see you so soon. Charles, I'm not surprised, I guess we'll see each other every Monday. And Alex of course, always up for following Charles in the bullshit, I guess. And, uh... ?''

''Eliott.''

Frank nods, offering him a handshake.

''I'm Frank. I hope I don't see you too often but I always accept the extra help. Be nice and I'll be nice. Don't try to give me a hard time."

Eliott stared at him and then shook his hand, visibly hesitating.

''Okay, I'll let you charge while I fill out the exit application.''

Lucas heads for the bags of laundry that he throws to Basile to give to Alex and have him put them in the truck while Charles and Eliott put them properly inside. In less than ten minutes the truck is loaded. Alex and Basile get in the truck while Charles explains to Eliott that they have to sit on the bags during the trip. Lucas grabs the handle of the truck and his foot slips but Eliott's hand grabs him and pulls him inside the truck. Lucas thanks him with a nod and settles down beside Basile while Alex knocks against the wall of the truck.

''Let's go!''

Basile rubs his hands together, a big smile on his face.

''Fuck, I'm so fucking happy. It was so worth it.''

Lucas turns to Basile, realizing what his friend just said.

"Wait, what? You did that on purpose? Just to be on chore duty tonight?"

Basile smiles and nods.

''Yeah, of course. I like my hair, but mostly I wanted to see her. I missed her so much. I've been thinking about her all summer, Lucas, I think I'm in love."

Eliott frowns, bending over to get a little closer to them.

''Where are we going, guys?''

Basile takes an even bigger smile as he raises his eyebrows.

''To the girls! The girls' school is 5 miles away from ours, but there is only one lingerie so every Monday we bring them their stuff."

The truck slows down then parks and the guys get off, well accustomed to the place.

"Ok, you know what to do," says Franck before leaving for one of the barracks.

''Hurry up!'' orders Charles while starting by throwing the bundles of linen out of the truck.

Basile shows Eliott what they have to do and explains to him that they have to do it as soon as possible.

''We have to unload everything here. Franck goes to visit Estelle, his mistress. She is the canteen lady at the girls' school. So every Monday he goes to see her while we unload."

Charles and Lucas empty the truck almost twice as fast as the others and they end up laughing, banging their fists.

''Fuck, we wonder which one of you two is more eager to get to the girls.'' Alex laughs. ''Come on, let's go.''

The five of them walk along the linen room building and enter the building just across the street: the dormitory building. Lucas is the first to enter, checking that there are no instructors, but at this hour they are all eating.

"Lucas!"

Daphne runs towards him before taking him in her arms and Lucas does not miss Basile who opens his arms, ready for a hug.

"Daphne, I missed you so much."

Daphne looks at Basile, amazed then shakes her head and taps him on the shoulder.

"Yeah. Hi, Baz. Why are you here?"

Basile takes a huge smile.

''I wanted to see you."

Daphne's rolling her eyes, not really believing it.

''I think she wanted to know why you're being punished.'' Lucas laughs.

''Lucas!"

Emma walks across the hallway and quickly hugs him before giving him a folded sheet of paper and a phone that Lucas puts in his pocket.

"Thank you, Emma, you are the best."

''Wow. Hi. Are you new?"

Lucas looks at Alexia looking at Eliott like she's gonna eat him. Daphne and Emma bend over a little to look at him and two smiles appear on their faces.

''Yeah. I'm Eliott."

Lucas is certain that Alexia has just repeated the name of Eliott but he is not totally sure because Manon comes running up and throws herself into the arms of Charles who is already kissing her.

''I knew you would come. I missed you so much. I love you."

As usual, Charles and Manon spend the next five minutes kissing along a wall, while Lucas talks to the girls.

''Are you still up for the exfiltration on Friday?'' asks Daphné.

Basile nods his head long before Lucas has time to do so.

''Sure. But do you really want to risk getting caught? I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

Daphne nods confidently, quickly joined by Alexia and Emma.

''The atmosphere is crazy between the seniors and the juniors. We have to show them that we can rebel too and''

''Go, girls!''

Lucas waves his hand to Imane who is at the end of the hallway and waves to the girls to come back. Manon lets go of Charles' mouth and in less than a minute, the girls are gone and the guys get out, Lucas pulling Eliott by the arm because he didn't seem to have understood that he had to get out as quickly as possible.

Charles, Alex and Basile are already almost at the truck but Franck has not yet returned so Lucas stops and leans on the corner of the wall, smiling when Eliott stops and stands beside him. They are too far from the truck for the guys to hear them, and it is too dark for them to see them, but they are close enough to be able to reach them quickly.

''Wait, I've got your ring," said Lucas softly as he opened his jacket.

Eliott stops him in his gesture by shaking his head.

''Keep it, I know you'll take care of it.''

Lucas raises his head to look at Eliott, but he simply smiles at him.

"That's why you're being punished?" asks Eliott, "to come and see the girls?"

''Oh no, I don't care about the girls.'' Lucas laughs ''That's what Charles is doing. You'll see, Tuesday's chores are cool, but Wednesday we must cleaning the showers and toilets. And then you're going to regret being punished. No girl is worth putting up with that."

Eliott laughs and then gives Lucas a light elbow.

"So you don't have a girlfriend?"

Lucas looks up and smile because Eliott look at him.

''No. I knew Emma before, we were in the same school, that's why we're so close, and she's Yann's girlfriend now. And I'm friends with her friends, but that's it. And you?"

Eliott shrugs his shoulders, shaking his head, without stopping smiling.

"No. My girlfriend dumped me this summer."

Lucas tries not to show how disappointed he is that Eliott had a girlfriend. It was so obvious that a guy like Elliot would be straight and get all the girls he wanted.

''Long-distance relationships here aren't easy. But normally we meet the girls this Friday night, so you might find one you like here and you'll become a regular at Monday's chore."

Eliott shrugs his shoulders and smiles.

''Yeah. But maybe I've already found someone I like here, but it's not a girl.''

Lucas smiles, turning to Eliott to see if he has heard correctly, and even though they are in complete darkness, Lucas is certain that Eliott has just looked at his lips. Eliott comes closer, without stopping looking him in the eyes and Lucas gently lifts himself up on tiptoe. He doesn't even know why he wanted to fight this anymore, because now the only thing he wants to do is kiss Eliott.

''Guys! He's here!"

Lucas is startled and his cheeks turn red immediately. They get to the back of the truck and go back inside. Eliott's knee touches his knee during all the way, but none of the guys seem to care, not even Eliott and Lucas wonders if he's the one making movies in his head.

"I hope you're ready for the evening race, Demaury," said Charles, "Don't you dare step out of line again."

Eliott looks at him frowning.

''Aren't we going to eat?"

Charles starts laughing while shaking his head.

''No, when you're grounded, you're on duty, so you miss your dinner. You'll have to wait until the morning."

Eliott turns to Lucas, frowning.

''You're not going to dinner for three weeks because of me?''

Lucas smiles at him, shrugging his shoulders.

''I would have been busy doing chores anyway.''

''Lulu never has dinner.'' adds Basile ''I think last year there must have been less than 10 dinners.''

Eliott questions Lucas with his eyes, but Lucas just shrugs his shoulders.

"It's not fucking normal. Is this a high school or a prison?"

''For us, it's halfway between the two.'' answers Basile ''For Lulu, it's a prison. Why do you think everybody leaves when they turn 18? We're all waiting for that."

''When will you turn 18?'' asks Alex.

Eliott lowers his head, looking at his hands and Lucas does not miss his embarrassed look.

''I turned 18 in June.''

"What? Why are you here then?" '' asks Alex, visibly intrigued.

"Court-ordered placement."

Eliott almost spits out words, as if it hurts him, and everybody understands that it's useless to ask any questions about it.

"What did you do to deserve this?"

Okay...everyone...except Basile.

''I don't want to scare you.'' says Eliott before laughing.

The truck stops suddenly and Lucas, lost in his thoughts, finds himself totally stuck against Eliott.

''Shit, sorry, I was''

''Regroup! Now!"

The voice of Sergeant "Dickhead" startled the whole group, so they got out of the truck quickly and run to their classes. They run the 4 km race before returning to their barracks and the only thing Lucas can think about is how much he would have really liked to kiss Eliott tonight.

And that's fucked up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ready for exfiltration????
> 
> Patience, first I'll give you a chapter on military school routine...


	3. Routine

The days here are all the same except Sunday. The bell rings at 6:15 and at 6:30 they must be dressed and ready to run. Those who haven't had time to put on their uniforms go out running in the outfit they are wearing: whether it's a T-shirt, pajamas or even just underwear.

So Lucas always starts by putting on his pants and then his shoes. The day after school started last year, he had to run barefoot because he didn't have time to put on his shoes and he swore he'd never make that mistake again.

So when he gets out and puts himself in his place, he can't help but look at the senior group. Eliott is already there, fully dressed, even though his shirt is out of his pants, his shirt is not buttoned and he has rolled up his sleeves again, letting his arms show.

The sergeant makes him get dressed properly, talking to him softly and Eliott looks at him surprised but it doesn't really surprise Lucas. Sergeant Daiffe is really different from the others. Lucas smiles as he looks at Eliott. Somebody had to help him, because no recruit was ready on time on his first day. And as proof, the other two new recruits in his class are either shirtless or barefoot and the whole new class, to the right of his class, is almost entirely shirtless and barefoot, being shouted at.

Some of them are already crying and Lucas is looking at Basile. Basile gives him a friendly smile by nodding his head. Last year, it was Basile who was crying, in his boxer shorts for not having had time to get dressed and Lucas gave him his uniform jacket during the race so he wouldn't be so cold. He was punished for that, but he gained a real friendship.

After that, the day goes on just like the others: after the morning run, they go to have breakfast in the canteen. Lucas watches Eliott sitting next to Alex and they talk. They even laugh and it's really nice to see. Every once in a while, Eliott looks up at him and gives him a tiny smile, but he never looks at him for long, probably for fear that the instructors watching the dining hall might see him. 

Those who didn't have time to get dressed join them and only have a few minutes left to eat, and it hurts Lucas's heart to remember that last year they were like that. Arthur had arrived just as the bell was ringing so instinctively, Yann, Basile and Lucas had hidden food in their pockets for him, knowing what they risked if they were caught. And Lucas can already see some of the guys in the sophmore grade doing the same thing and that makes him smile. 

_When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty._

At 7:30 a.m. they have to go back up to their rooms to tidy up, brush their teeth and get ready to go to class. 

Classes take place from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a lunch break from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m for Lucas' class. Each class eats at a different time so they don't cross each other. They are teachers who come from outside and most of them are nice to them. And from 4pm, there is the 2 hours of military training that Lucas hates: obstacle courses, smooth walls, tire jumping...2 hours of intense physical training where it's forbidden to give up.

At 6pm they can finally go back to their barracks, where the showers, collective of course, are waiting for them. It's always the moment that Lucas hates the most. He never knows where to look, and his only fear is that he will become hard and that someone will realize it. In fact, Lucas's so uncomfortable in those fucking collective showers that it has never happened, but it's still his biggest fear. It's also why he can't tell his friends he's gay. What if they think Lucas takes advantage of moments like this to look at them? He doesn't even dare to imagine how he would feel if someone made this reflection to him? What if some guys thought they could use it to empty themselves? What if they waited for him in the showers to force him, judging that since he's gay, he'll like it? Lucas has never heard of problems like this here, but he doesn't want it to happen at all.

As Lucas crosses the hallway, showered and dressed, laughter rings out from the other end of the hallway, where the senior shower is located. He stops just to watch the two senior guys going back to their room laughing.

''That Demaury is so funny.''

''Yeah.'' Laughs the second one. ''I've never seen a guy so comfortable taking a collective shower on the first day.''

''I heard he just got out of prison, he's probably used to it by now, that's why.''

Lucas goes back to his bedroom, wondering if the rumors are true, and trying not to imagine Eliott naked, but it's too late and he can't think about anything else now.

''Lulu, have you been away all day? Are you okay?"

Lucas looks at Yann and shrugs his shoulders.

''Yeah, I just have to get back into the rhythm. Only two years left."

They all breathe a long sigh before all four of them sit on Yann's bed.

''Do you have any, Arthur? Can I have some?"

Arthur nods with a smile and grabs his bag where he has sewn a secret pocket under the zipper. He takes out a joint and hands it to Lucas with a smile.

''Slowly, dude, okay? It's good stuff."

Lucas smiles and takes the joint that he puts in the inside pocket of his jacket, next to Eliott's ring while watching Basile rubbing his hands impatiently.

"I can't wait until Friday! Do you really think this can work?"

Lucas nods.

''Yeah. Every first Friday of the new school year the students are sent into the woods on a scouting mission. Emma has confirmed that the girls suffer the same fate. Thanks to the phone she gave me, we're going to geolocate and find each other, and we can have a party!"

''This is going to be the best damn party of my life.'' says Arthur.

Yann sighs and looks at Lucas.

''What if we get caught? They'll fucking kill us if they find out we're joining the girls."

Arthur hits him on the chest, frowning.

''Hey! Don't you want to see your girlfriend? Be a fucking man. Stop being scared. They can't kill all of us. Unity will be our salvation."

The four of them start laughing at the roundabout use of that phrase that the sergeants keep repeating all day long.

7:00 p.m. comes too quickly to Lucas' liking. His friends leave for dinner while he waits in front of the door for the other punished students to join him. He tries not to smile when he sees that only Eliott is being punished with him tonight. Sergeant Daiffe accompanies them and he gives the impression of deflating as soon as they enter the infirmary.

Lucas smiles as he looks at Olivia who is startled when she sees Eliott and takes his feet off his desk.

''Oh shit. Okay. So today, you're going to''

"It's okay." Lucas cut her. "We can trust him."

Olivia looks at Eliott then nods and signals to Lucas to leave.

''Not a word, Demaury, okay?'' signals the sergeant.

Eliott nods, obviously not understanding what is going on but Lucas is already pulling him out of the infirmary into an empty classroom. Lucas turns off the light in the biology lab and heads towards the windowsill. He opens the window and takes the joint out of his uniform.

''You want to smoke?''

Eliott's eyes widen slightly as he joins Lucas.

''Aren't we going to get caught?''

Lucas smiles, already lighting the gasket with the lighter he recovered in the biology lab.

''Don't be afraid. In fact, Jerome is dating Olivia, even though they're not normally allowed to. So''

"You call Sergeant by first name?"

Lucas smiles and nods.

''Only on Tuesday night. You're lucky he's the only nice instructor here. So, every Tuesday, they do whatever they want while I'm having a good time. I told you Tuesday's punishment was cool. Officially, I help the nurse. Unofficially: I let them have sex and I'll do what I want as long as it's not bullshit."

Eliott laughs as he sits on the windowsill in front of Lucas. He holds his arm out between them and for two seconds Lucas freezes, ready to feel Eliott caressing his cheek. But Eliott grabs the joint and Lucas immediately feels really silly. He watches Eliott pull on it and spit out two rings of smoke.

''Aren't you tired of always having to do chores? Aren't you hungry?"

Lucas shrugs his shoulders, regaining the joint.

''No, I'm used to it. Anyway, I have no choice. I tried to behave but...my father always found a reason to punish me.''

Eliott takes the joint and pulls it back and rests his back against the wall.

"Why is he so hard with you?"

Lucas looks at Eliott and then looks down. 

''You heard him, he wants to make a man out of me, a real one.''

Eliott frowns and moves slowly towards Lucas.

''That's a bunch of bullshit. Besides, you don't really look like a girl."

Lucas shrugs his shoulders, taking the joint from Eliott's hands and taking two long puffs.

''Hey! Come on, let me finish. I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry."

Lucas smiles as he gives him back the almost finished joint and sighs.

''It's not you, it's him. I've been raised by my mom since their divorce 10 years ago but she had to be hospitalized last summer and he got custody of me, so I've been coming here ever since. He says my mom has been too much of a pampering mom so I have to toughen up. That's why I'm not allowed to go to the music room, he thinks I'm too precious when I'm playing''. 

Eliott is about to throw the finished joint out the window but Lucas stops him, closes the window and comes down from the ledge waving to him. He flushes the joint down the toilet before going out into the hallway.

"We must leave no trace of our passage."

Eliott nods with a smile and then looks around. They are both in the bathroom and Lucas knows the sergeant won't be back for at least ten minutes.

''What instrument would you play if you could?'' Eliott whispers.

Lucas smiles and grabs Eliott's wrist to pull him to the music room.

"Music is supposed to teach us discipline and patience, but the Major won't let me say I can play the piano because he wants me to play the drums. He thinks it's more manly."

Eliott rolls his eyes, gently caressing Lucas' cheek before looking at the piano.

"Play for me, please."

Lucas looks at the piano and shakes his head.

''No, it would make too much noise.''

Eliott shrugs his shoulders and sits down at the keyboard and starts playing. If Lucas had imagined what Eliott would play, he certainly would not have thought about the letter to Elise. He wouldn't have imagined Eliott playing Bethoveen. And the more Eliott plays, the more Lucas realizes that it's not Bethoveen but it's a really nice cover and it makes Lucas smile because it matches Eliott after all.

Eliott raises his hands from the keyboard then looks at Lucas with a defiant look on his face.

''So? You see, no one came to kill me. They're too busy fucking."

Eliott gets up from the bench and approaches Lucas, almost clinging to him, gently lowering his head to almost whisper in his ear.

''Maybe you're the one who's afraid, after all.''

Lucas takes a huge smile and almost pushes him to sit on the piano bench. He turns around to look at Eliott who sits down and rests his hands on the keyboard. He has never dared to play since he has been here. 

He plays a note and then stops and starts a second time and he hears Eliott clucking behind him, so he closes his eyes and plays. He lets the music take over and nothing matters anymore. It's as if everything revolves around them and Lucas lets himself imagine that they're no longer in that fucking military high school. Maybe in another universe, Lucas plays for Eliott but they are at his home, or in a normal high school, or in a train station. Anywhere, but not here.

Lucas sighs as he takes his hands off the keyboard and turns to look at Eliott who is speechless. Eliott stands up and does the same thing and they are almost glued together in the middle of the room.

''Fuck, you're so surprising.'' Eliott swallows, looking Lucas in the eye ''I love surprising people."

Lucas smiles and looks at Eliott's lips, slightly moistening his with his tongue.

"Lucas, Eliott! It's time to go!"

Sergeant or not, Lucas lets out a frustrated moan before backing down, which makes Eliott laugh.

Damn it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frustrated? Yeah me too...will they manage to kiss in this universe? 
> 
> The next chapter will be exfiltration...but maybe a new character will appear on the girls' side....guess who...


	4. Exfiltration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you like the infiltration? Who hasn't dreamed of breaking into their high school to party?
> 
> I hope you like the exfiltration...

Eliott and Lucas are at their chores tonight. On Friday, they have to clean the classrooms. It's boring, but no worse than Wednesday's crapper. Since Wednesday, three freshmen have joined them so they've never been alone together again. But now they're walking out of the classroom into the hallway while the new recruits finish putting the chairs back down from the tables.

''Eliott, sleep with your clothes on tonight.''

Eliott chuckles and nods.

''Yeah, Alex warned me, he's cool.''

Lucas smiles, looking around, but they're still alone in the hallway.

''Yeah. Try to stay with him or Charles. I don't know if everyone will follow, but they will."

Eliott smiles a little more as he looks at Lucas.

''So you're officially inviting me to the party then?''

Lucas rolls his eyes away, his cheeks turning red.

''What? No. Do what you want, I don't care."

Eliott chuckles, putting a strand of hair back on Lucas' forehead.

''Too bad, I thought I was coming. But if you don't care, it's not worth breaking the rules."

Lucas sighs as he looks up at the sky.

''Okay, maybe I'd like to see you there. I'll buy you a beer."

Eliott laughs as he pushes the cleaning cart into the closet to put it away.

''Okay. Can't wait. Save me a dance, too."

Eliott disappears from the building and by the time Lucas comes to his senses, Eliott has already joined the seniors to go running so Lucas joins his class, followed by the three freshmen, and they go to bed, all dressed up right after the race.

And as he expected, at 1:00 a.m. the sirens start ringing and less than five minutes later they find themselves loaded into trucks like cattle. But they were expecting it, so they're all ready, even the first few years. Just to see Serjent Dickhead's disappointed face, it was worth it. 

They are dropped in the middle of the forest with about ten electric lamps before the trucks leave. Instead of scattering as they should, the three groups find each other quite quickly and they tighten up against each other. Lucas even sees some of his class trying to calm the crying first graders.

Lucas pulls out the phone Emma left him and immediately a dot appears, giving the location of the girls less than 6 km away. They walk for 4km without any noise then Lucas finally sees it: the fence.

They find a tree that can help them and one by one they climb it to jump over the fence. They walk again in the dark, without a sound, until one of the seniors starts to shout.

''Damn, I'm sure they're not coming. What if it's a trap?"

Lucas feels the looks of several students landing on him and before he opens his mouth, Basile points at something screaming.

''They're here!''

In front of them, there are several flashlights. They all start running and Daphne jumps for joy, seeming totally overexcited.

Emma jumps so quickly into the arms of Yann who almost drops her on the ground and Basile opens his arms but Daphne looks at him with a sigh before turning around to her friends.

Music resounds and Lucas starts to smile. Thanks to Emma, he has discovered that girls have much less strict rules than boys. For one thing, they don't shave their heads and they don't have to run a 4km race in the morning and in the evening. And on top of that, they are allowed to bring personal items to decorate their rooms and most importantly, they are allowed to keep their phones, as long as they don't use them outside of authorized hours. So the girls have all thrown out the same playlist at the same time, and even if there is sometimes a slight delay in the sound, they all don't care. For this time, they are free.

"It's the best party of my life!" Arthur shouts.

Lucas pulls on the joint that Arthur has just lit before passing it to Yann and continues to jump, smiling, happy that everyone is having as much fun as he is. Imane dances with Daphne and as Basile tries to join them, in vain, it is rather funny to see. Emma and Yann kiss more than they dance and Arthur dances rather closely with Alexia. Lucas stops, sweating and goes to lean against a tree to catch his breath. All that is missing is beer to make it perfect. Emma wanted to come during the vacations to hide some bottles in the forest, but they would probably have been spotted. It's already a unbelievable that they're here. 

Lucas looks at the girls and guys dancing together, kissing or laughing and says to himself that the year is starting well. Daphne's exfiltration idea was really a great idea.

''Hi."

Lucas looks at the brunette girl standing right in front of him with a big smile on her face.

''Uh... hi.''

''I'm Chloe. Wanna dance?"

Lucas hesitates, but that's when he sees him. Eliott is dancing with a senior girl and seems to be having a really good time, so Lucas nods, a resentful taste in his mouth. Chloe drags him along with the other students and stands way too close to Lucas for his liking, but he lets her do it. He looks at Eliott who is still dancing but who is looking at him now.

"I love to dance with you."

Lucas almost jumps, breaking the eye contact he was maintaining with Eliott and looks at Chloe again as she moves closer to him, slipping a hand on his neck. Lucas looks at her and thinks that maybe he should finally kiss her and pretend to be straight and everything would go more smoothly. Lucas hesitates for a few seconds, which might not be enough for a real gay guy. Maybe he's not gay after all, shouldn't he try with a girl to know he doesn't want to?

Chloe smiles at him and closes her eyes as she gets closer so Lucas closes his eyes too. Should he keep them open? Or is it really fucked that he imagines kissing Eliott? Maybe if he watches Eliott during he kissing Chloe, it will be almost the same thing, right?

''Lucas, you promised me a beer, are you coming?''

Lucas looks at Eliott, who pulls him back and doesn't miss Chloe's disappointed face.

''Hey, he was with me. And there's no beer here, right?"

Eliott stops and turns around to look at her but ignores her completely, looking at Lucas and smiling.

''Are you coming, Lucas?''

Lucas gives Chloe a sorry look and follows Eliott who is heading into the darkness of the forest.

''The beers are over there, Eliott.'' says Lucas, laughing.

Eliott turns around and pulls his arm so that Lucas is closer to him.

''I don't want any beer. I want you."

Lucas nods gently with a smile and Eliott bends over to capture his lips. And this time, there is nothing to stop them. This time, there is only Eliott and Lucas, kissing in the dark in the middle of the forest, a few meters away from the other students who are dancing. There are butterflies in Lucas' belly when Eliott's tongue comes on top of his, there is his heart beating faster when he slips his hands under Eliott's shirt, touching his naked skin, and there is Eliott's beautiful smile when he breaks the kiss and lays his forehead against Lucas'.

''Damn, that was''

Lucas smiles as he lets his hands slide into Eliott's neck.

''Yeah. Totally."

He doesn't really know who kissed the other one after that, and it doesn't really matter. Lucas finds himself glued to a tree with his legs wrapped around Eliott's waist, moaning as he gently bites his neck.

''Fuck no. No tracks."

Eliott steps back, pinching his lips.

"Sorry."

Lucas pulls him up against him so he can kiss him again, feeling like he can never get enough. He has the impression that the rest is gone, that it's just the two of them, that all the others have disappeared. 

''Eliott, did you see Lucas? Oh fuck.''

A light half blinds him and he puts his hand in front of his eyes while resting his feet on the ground. And only then does Lucas realize that the music has stopped.

Manon and Emma look at them and they are still speechless when Charles and Yann join them.

''Are you okay, girls?''

Manon gives Lucas a sweet smile and then turns around to enter Charles' arms.

''Yeah, of course. Sorry, but it's time, Lucas."

Lucas nods and Emma comes to take him in her arms.

''I am so happy for you.''

Lucas rolls his eyes and sighs. It's clear that tonight the whole girls' school will know.

''Guys! Let's go!'' shouts Yann.

And they all leave in a hurry. Now they have to make up for the time they spent here. Most of the guys are moaning about having to leave the girls running away too, but the other way around, and Lucas smiles as Eliott's hand slips into his own.

It's dark enough that no one notices, and even though it's not really practical to run holding hands, Lucas wouldn't let go for anything. They iron the fence and make their way to the school where they all arrive at the same time.

Lucas reluctantly lets go of Eliott's hand as soon as they arrive in the school's lighted courtyard, but they stay on each other's side while the Major changes color when he sees them all appear at the same time.

''Why have you gathered? Who's behind this mess? It's supposed to be a level orienteering race, not a school walk.''

His face gets so red from getting so angry and Lucas is really forced to hold back smiling.

''I want to know whose idea this was!''

The silence that follows is almost frightening to hear. It's never this quiet around here.

"If I don't have a name, no one will get breakfast this morning," shouts the major a little louder.

Lucas feels his heart racing, already ready to hear his name being screamed, but silence is the only thing that resonates.

"Lallemant!"

Lucas's heart seems to stop when his asshole of a progenitor shouts his name. He gently touches Eliott's hand and steps forward to stand in front of all the students of the school.

"Yes, Major?"

''Who the fuck did this?''

Lucas stands up straight, looking ahead of him. Sergeant Dickhead has a happy smile on his face, Sergeant Rossil, who is in charge of Lucas' class, shoots him with his eyes, while Sergeant Daiffe looks away.

"I want an explanation!" shouts the Major.

Lucas takes a deep breath, making his chest bulge, just allowing him to take the necessary dose of courage.

"Unity will be our salvation!"

The major doesn't have time to open his mouth, that the students behind Lucas repeat the sentence.

"Unity will be our salvation."

The Major's face turns red and Lucas waits for him to hit him, but he takes a smile that doesn't mean anything good instead.

''No problem. You want unity, you'll get it! Go to sleep!"

They all reach the building at the same time and Lucas takes one last look at Eliott before letting him go to the senior rooms. Eliott smiles at him and sends him a wink that allows Lucas to go to bed with a big smile on his face.


	5. The love

After less than two hours of sleep, running the 4km is really difficult, and when they learn that they have to run an extra 4km this morning, instead of having breakfast, the fear of being reported comes back. But instead, everyone discreetly thanks Lucas and his friends for the party. During the race, some of them sing even when they are far enough away from the Sergeant not to be heard and it's really nice.

Lucas doesn't see Eliott again during the day but he sees him as soon as he closes his eyes and that's enough to put him in a good mood. At 6 p.m., Yann, Basile and Arthur leave for their shower but Lucas pretends that he needs to lie down two minutes and that he will go there afterwards. As soon as his friends have left, he goes out in the hallway and he sees Eliott, leaning against the wall so he waves him to come.

And that's how he finds himself on his bed, one Saturday night at 6:10 pm, Eliott's tongue in his mouth, his hands on his lower back, as he slips his hands under his shirt. 

''Can we trust your buddies?''

Lucas nods, kissing again Eliott then stops and moves back slightly.

''You mean for us?''

Eliott nods with a smile and Lucas feels a little sorry to have to tell him that they will have to hide.

''Uh... they don't know I'm gay. I'm afraid that's gonna be a problem around here."

Eliott frowns, as if he doesn't understand and then just shrugs his shoulders.

''I told Alex and the guys in our room, they're cool with it.''

Lucas backs up and gets up in the bed, freaking out. At this rate, by tonight everyone will know he's gay.

''Hey, Lucas, we're not doing anything wrong. They're cool, I swear. They already knew I was pan, I said it in the showers on the first day, just to break the ice. A dick joke always works."

Lucas looks at Eliott and smiles because with him it just seems easy. Maybe he's actually right, maybe it doesn't have to be hard. With Eliott, it looks really easy.

''You're right. Sorry. I'll talk to them tonight, okay?''

Eliott nods and throws himself on his lips, making him fall flat on his back on the bed and straddles him. And the feeling of having Eliott's weight on him as he kisses him is just great.

''I'm going to have to calm down before I go in the shower, and you better do the same. See you later for chores then."

Eliott kisses him then he sits on the edge of the bed and Lucas sighing, almost crying in fear of Eliott's heat, trying not to think about how hard he is, and the fact that Eliott just admitted that he was too.

''I can ask you a question? You don't have to answer if you don't want to.''

Eliott looks at him and then smiles, but a different smile: half tender, half embarrassed.

''I'm here because I burned cars. I've done a lot of the crap before and the judge said my parents couldn't control me. I had a choice, it was prison or here. So no, I've never been to jail, I don't even know where that rumour came from, but yes, I did do some shit. In fact, it was difficult because''

Lucas pulls Eliott towards him so he can kiss him.

''It's all in the past. I don't care, Eliott, I know you're a good guy.''

He kisses him again before he gently pushes him away.

''My friends are gonna come back. I'm gonna tell them, but not like that, okay?"

Eliott nods, seems hesitant to say anything but finally he kisses Lucas again before leaving the room and Lucas lies down on his bed and sighs.

Basile is the first to return, pulling Lucas out of his thoughts, quickly followed by Arthur and then Yann. They all settle down on their bed with a sigh, completely exhausted by this intense day after a night that is not at all restful.

Lucas takes a deep breath and crosses his fingers, hoping his friends will support him.

''I think I'm in love."

Yann turns his head to look at him, visibly astonished while Basile and Arthur let their heads hang from their bed.

''No? Is it true?"

"Did you meet her at the party?"

Lucas smiles as he looks at his friends.

''We kissed at the party, yeah. But...." Lucas swallows, and lets his friends look away. ''It's not a girl.''

Basile falls off the bunk bed and crashes like shit on the floor before standing up again while Yann sits on his bed and Arthur comes down quietly, sitting next to Yann.

''Who is, Bro?''

Lucas sits on his bed, folding his legs under him.

''It's Eliott.''

The three guys start shouting a ''yeah'' with a big smile and Basile comes to take Lucas in his arms.

''Well done, man."

Lucas looks at them, stunned and frowns.

''That's it?''

Yann shrugs his shoulders and smiles.

"What did you expect? Who cares, Bro? It's cool, but be careful that instructors don't find out.''

"Now go take a shower, Lulu, or you won't have time."

Lucas hurries to the shower and he's right on time. He accompanies his friends to the dining hall and waits. Eliott comes to stand next to him, his little finger gently caressing Lucas' little finger in their backs.

''So? What's the chore of Saturday?"

Lucas turns towards him, a big smile on his face.

''A little trip to paradise.''

The service door of the dining hall opens and Maria waves at them to tell them to come.

''I missed you, Lucas. Eliott, I guess? Welcome to my home. Be nice and I will be, okay? Come on, the dishwasher's waiting."

Lucas takes his shirt off and looks at Eliott doing the same thing. Even that fucking green shirt looks good on him, it's really unfair. Lucas immediately goes to the dishwasher.

''It's simple, we fill the plastic crates, put it in the machine and then we put the dishes away.''

Eliott looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

''Is this what you call paradise?''

Lucas nods with a smile.

''You'll see."

Since they're both only in the scullery, they take advantage of the machine's waiting time to kiss each other, and that makes this chore even better than usual.

''Fuck, it's 8:10, we should''

"Run? "Lucas asks with a raised eyebrow, "No. When you're doing chores in the kitchen, you don't run at night...and there's more."

As Lucas presses to start the machine for the last time tonight, Maria calls them from the kitchen.

"Finally! I'm so fucking hungry! Are you coming, Eliott?''

Lucas pulls Eliott by the arm and only lets go when they get to the kitchen. Maria shows them the two full plates waiting for them.

''Enjoy your meal, guys. Of course, Eliott, you understand that this is confidential, right?"

''Of course, thanks."

Maria smiles and takes off her apron.

''I'll get the refectory ready for tomorrow morning. Enjoy your meal."

Lucas and Eliott grab their plates and sit down on the counter, eating next to each other.

''For a first date, it's not too bad considering the context.'' says Eliott with a smile.

Lucas raises a mocking eyebrow.

"Oh yeah? So, you think it's a date?"

Eliott nods and gently pulls him towards him to kiss him. And, of course, Lucas is too happy to let it happen.

''Yeah. That's a date. Can I give you a ride home tonight?"

Lucas nods with a smile and takes their plates to wash them. They tidy up silently and then say goodbye to Maria before returning to the barracks. And indeed, Eliott accompanies Lucas to the front door of his room.

"I'd offer you to come in, but''

Eliott shrugs his shoulders and smiles. He looks around them and as they are alone in the corridor, he kisses him tenderly.

''Not on the first night, babe.''

Lucas opens his bedroom door and crawls in, cheeks red and with a fucking smile on his lips.

For a week, Lucas feels like he's living in a beautiful dream. Contrary to what he would have thought, the Major doesn't plan any extra exercises on Sundays so the day goes like every Sunday: mass in the morning, meal and military training in the afternoon. The chores become Lucas' favorite part of the day because he meets up with Eliott again.

On Monday, they quickly go to greet the girls before going back to kiss each other in the back of the truck.

On Tuesday, they play piano together and then kiss, stopping just in time before the sergeant discovers them.

On Wednesday, there are five other guys grounded so Lucas sends them to clean the senior and junior showers while Eliott takes care of him in the freshman showers. To be touched by Eliott is just unbelievable. Lucas feels like he can never get enough. It's like Eliott's hands burn wherever he touches you and he can never get enough. 

On Thursdays, they put the sports equipment away at a mind-blowing speed so they can lock themselves in the bathroom. Lucas closes his eyes just to imagine he's somewhere else but anyway, the feeling of Eliott's mouth on him is more than enough to make him forget where they are.

On Friday, as soon as the Sergeant who is supposed to watch them leaves to smoke, Lucas and Eliott leave the science lab that they are supposed to clean with the three others punished and this time it is Lucas who kneels down in front of Eliott. And it's almost as unbelievable as the other way around. Just thinking about how Eliott came into his mouth is enough to make him get hard and Lucas only thinks about it, during his Saturday classes.

So at 6pm, Lucas is really, really looking forward to seeing Eliott again, and he kicks the guys out of the room before he brings Eliott in, kissing him before he even closes the door.

''You guys have to be more careful.'' Arthur says quietly as he closes the door, ''It's going to end badly with the sergeants."

But Lucas doesn't care, he doesn't listen, he's already lost in Eliott's kisses.

''I want you to make me love.''

Eliott nods without leaving his lips. They undress each other, without ever stopping kissing, but before taking off his pants, Lucas takes a condom out of his pocket.

''Where did you get that?''

Lucas smiles, raises his eyebrows and starts laughing.

''Charles.''

Eliott nods, picking up Lucas' lips, caressing him, introducing fingers into him that make Lucas groan softly.

''They'll be back, Eliott, we must''

Eliott gently shakes his head.

''I wouldn't do it fast, babe. I want to do this good.''

And Eliott's doing it good. He's doing it real good. It's just unbelievable. Lucas slumps on his mattress, sweating and panting, but he's never felt better in his life. Eliott gently removes the condom that he ties before putting it towards his clothes and lies down on Lucas' back.

''I would love to stay here. Just close my eyes and sleep with you."

He gently kisses his back, from side to side before sighing.

''But we have to get ready to go for the run.''

Lucas turns around, coming into Eliott's arms.

''I want to stay with you, my love.''

Eliott looks at him, a rather strange expression on his face.

''Then let's go. Run away with me. We could take a boat and go around the world. Just the two of us."

Lucas sighs before he kisses Eliott's smile.

''I'm serious, Lucas. We could go away. We don't need anything to be happy, just the two of us. We could make love all day long and we wouldn't need anything else.''

Lucas raises a laughing eyebrow.

''And what would we live on? Just love?"

''No. Whatever we want. Like, we'd be eating nothing but chips and ham, you know? I love it. And then I could draw. All day long."

"Do you draw?"

Eliott nods with a smile.

''Yeah. I love that. I'll show you when we get on the boat."

Lucas chuckles and shakes his head.

''They would find us long before we reach the sea, Eliott. There is not even a sea around here.''

Eliott looks disappointed and Lucas gently caresses his face.

''But one day we'll leave here, my love, and we'll be happy. I promise. We can even eat chips and ham.''

Eliott kisses him visibly happy and the door opens with a jerk, startled them both.


	6. The punishment

Yann closes the door almost as fast as he opened it. 

"Fuck, guys, it's time. Hurry up! And...Oh shit, I'm sorry."   
  
Yann comes out as fast as he went in and in less than 30 seconds, Lucas and Eliott both get out of bed and get dressed. They get out at the same time as the other students to go to the refectory. They wait as usual with the other punished students and Lucas tries not to panic when he sees the Major coming. Usually, he never takes care of the group of punished students himself.

"Go eat, no chores."

Lucas can't stop the frown from forming on his face.

The major signals them to go into the dining room right away so they go to their respective tables but Lucas can't help but think that there is something really weird going on. 

And yet the whole meal goes on and nothing ever happens. Lucas even imagined that they might all be locked in that room, but he has to admit that they are not. And at the end of the meal when the sergeant says there is no race tonight and they have to go to bed now, Lucas really starts to get anxious.

As the Major walks them back to their bedroom, Lucas can't to kiss Eliott, so he gives him a discreet wink instead and the smile he throws back to him is enough for him to calmly go to bed. 

He spends more than an hour in his bed thinking about their first time, how sweet and good it was, and how much he wants to do it again. How much he wishes he could have stayed asleep in bed with Eliott. 

And after that he spends several hours trying to understand the change in Major's attitude tonight. Unfortunately he knows his father well and he knows that if he acts like this he's planning something. Something bad.

Lucas feels like he's barely asleep when the door to their room opens. He sits in bed but Eliott's hand immediately lands on his mouth. 

"It's me babe, don't be afraid."

Eliott, just dressed in his boxer shorts, slips into Lucas' bed and hugs him. 

"I really wanted to sleep with you tonight."

Lucas kisses him tenderly before sighing. 

"Me too Eliott, but if we get caught we're both dead."

Eliott hugs him a little more, putting his head against Lucas' arm. 

"I would have left before it was time to get up. I just want to get some sleep with you."

Lucas nods, hugging Eliott in turn.

"I wish it was easier, Lucas. Can you imagine if we went to a regular high school together?"

Lucas sighs softly as he nods.

"Yeah, I can imagine. We could sleep together and not be afraid of getting caught. But you know, I'm sure in a parallel universe, that happens. Maybe even right now. Maybe somewhere there's a Lucas sleeping in the arms of his Eliott and just closing his eyes without thinking about anything but how their bodies fit together so well."

Eliott chuckles in Lucas' ear, perhaps because he realizes how they are intertwined at that very moment, their legs totally tangled and their arms holding them tightly together.

"Do you believe in parallel universes? Like there are other versions of ourselves. It's fucking weird, isn't it?"

Lucas shrugs his shoulders and smiles.

"It makes me feel better to think that. Sometimes I think about the other Lucas and hope they live a less hard life than I do."

Eliott kisses him gently before putting his forehead against his own.

"And do you think they all meet an Eliott?" 

Lucas nods softly and smiles.

"Yeah, I'm sure they do."

"Shh, guys, go to sleep." Whispers Yann.

"See you tomorrow." Declares Arthur.

"Good night, lovers." Whisper Basile.

Lucas smiles, realizing that his friends weren't sleeping and especially that they accept to take the risk that Eliott will be discovered in their bedroom.

"Thanks, good night guys."

Eliott rubs his nose against Lucas' nose before kissing him.

"The best."

Lucas closes his eyes, breathing in the smell of Eliott's hair and he immediately feels less anxious. He just feels good. It's as if his thoughts can finally calm down. He looks at Eliott who is already asleep and kisses him on the forehead before closing his eyes. 

When the siren of the gathering rings, Lucas is startled in his bed and panics when he realizes he's alone. And then he remembers that Eliott had said he would leave so he hastens to get dressed to go out at the same time as his friends. 

Lucas looks around him but he doesn't see Eliott anywhere. Then he slows down, waits for Alex who runs out, not yet fully dressed, nor well awake. It is only 5 am after all.

"Have you seen Eliott?"

Alex shakes his head quickly.

"No, he wasn't in his bed. But his clothes are there. It's so weird. And... oh look. "

Lucas looks at the building that Alex shows him and stops walking, like most students do. On the wall, there's a drawing : a hedgehog and a raccoon, sleeping in a bed, with the phrase _"In all universes : You're beautiful when you sleep."_

Lucas widens his eyes, wondering where Eliott can find paint. Because it's clear that Eliott did it. And now Lucas would really like to know where he's.

"At attention!'' shouts the Major.

They all put themselves in their places and the sergeants come to review their troops. The first two sergeants yell "OK" and Lucas sees Sergeant Daiffe reluctantly turn to the Major.

"I miss Demaury."

The Major nods, not even seeming surprised.

"I took care of him this morning. He's in the infirmary."

Lucas wants to yell. What does he mean I took care of him? And why would Eliott be in the infirmary? Was he caught tagging and was he beaten? Lucas has never seen the Major hit any other student but he knows what it's like when he gets angry. So now Lucas imagines that Eliott, half disfigured by the Major,beaten and it's just horrible to imagine.

Sergeant Daiffe approaches the Major to talk to him in a low voice but the Major makes a vague hand gesture and makes him step back.

''Do you want the group unit? Okay, fine! Everybody on the obstacle course!'' shouts the Major ''You do it in less than ten minutes or everyone starts over.''

The course consists of passing under obstacles, slaloming, jumping into tires, climbing up the smooth wall and then jumping the other side. Except most guys take fifteen minutes to do that. And after 2 hours of doing it in a loop, it's starting to seriously piss off those who take the course on time.

"Get your ass up, damn it!" One senior yells to Basile who has just fallen before they do it again.

But then they do it again, the more tired they get and the harder it gets.

''One name and I stop it.'' yells the Major ''Who decided to make last Friday's exercise a recreational outing?''

Lucas hesitates, then thinks of Eliott and raises his hand.

''It was me! It was my idea! I just wanted to piss you off."

The Major immediately turns red and Lucas moves towards him before he even asks.

''Do you think you're privileged because you're my son?'' 

There is a deadly silence behind Lucas. It is as if all the students have just breathed in at the same time, holding back a shocked ''oh''.

''Everyone is going to take a shower," shouts the Major.

Of course, Lucas doesn't move, he knows it's not addressed to him. He watches the students leave, one after the other and then looks that asshole father in the eye again.

So?'' shouts the Major once they are alone ''Do you think you are privileged, son?''

''You are only my genitor!"

The slap that Lucas receives resonates throughout the courtyard but he stands and stares the Major straight in the eyes.

''A father wouldn't hit his son like that. You mean nothing to me.''

Lucas spits in his face and is on the ground before he even knows what's happening. He closes his eyes and doesn't even feel the pain anymore. He blocks his breathing to try not to think about the blows he's taking and just thinks about the fact that he's going to have to be taken to the infirmary and he'll see Eliott.

He doesn't really know how long it lasts. He's losing his mind a little bit, but suddenly it stops.

''Stop it, he's had enough. If the other students report you''

"It's my son!" shouts the Major, "I have every right."

''Not the right to kill him!'' shouts someone back ''I'm taking him to the infirmary. Now!''

Lucas feels lifted off the ground and opens his eyes to see Sergeant Daiffe helping him walk. 

"It would be good to know whose side you're on,'' the major says dryly, blocking their way.

''We are here to help these young people, Major, not to kill them.''

Lucas never thought the sergeant could stand up to his superior like that.

''Sometimes you have to break them down so they can rebuild. Take him away."

Lucas finds himself lying on a bed, so he tries to get up but the sergeant stops him.

''Lucas, why did you do that? Fuck, in the state he put you in.''

''Eliott? Where's Eliott?''

The realization is immediately seen on the Sergeant's face and Lucas wonders if he sees a tear running down his cheek but he's not sure because he can't open his eyes properly.

''Oh Lucas, you didn't do this for him?''

Lucas nods softly, grimaced in pain and now struggling to breathe because of the pain that pervades his entire body.

''I love him."

The sergeant gently caresses his cheek without saying anything and Olivia arrives to treat him. She talks nonsense to him, as she usually does, and if he wasn't in so much pain, Lucas would laugh about it.

He waits until she's gone to get out of bed. His head is spinning and he's in pain everywhere, but he walks as far as he can to the second bedroom. Eliott is lying there, seemingly asleep, but totally unharmed. He doesn't look like he's been hit, he just looks like he's asleep.

''Lucas, you should''

Lucas shakes his head while looking at Olivia.

''Why is he here?''

Olivia sighs then looks at Eliott.

''He's bipolar. We knew it before he came. He's having a depressive episode, the doctor came this night to adjust his treatment after he was found naked in the yard drawing on the wall. He needs to rest but he will get better. He's staying here in the meantime."

Lucas nods and walking, moaning in pain, then lies down in Eliott's bed. Eliott holds him gently in his arms and Lucas really has to restrain himself so as not to scream in pain.

"I'll scream if anyone comes in here, Lucas," warns Olivia.

Lucas nods, saying "thank you" and then closes his eyes.


	7. The declaration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't post yesterday. For those of you who read my WTfock fics, you already know that I've added an additional fic to the one I'm already writing there, so I have three fics at the same time and yesterday, 24 hours wasn't enough to do everything...as the two other fics are linked, I left this one out, sorry...
> 
> but here I am again !

"Lucas?"

Lucas moans because Eliott moves and touch Lucas's flank which is now covered with a purple blue. They have been there for two days and Lucas feels like he's just in pain. He was convinced that the Major would come and get him the day after the beating, but in the end he never came to see him. Maybe he regrets it. Maybe he realized that he hit too hard. But Lucas doesn't care about that. His father can apologize or hit him again, he doesn't care, only Eliott matters.

''I'm here, my love, everything is fine.''

Eliott squints, obviously having trouble keeping his eyes open, but carefully touches Lucas' face.

"What happened?''

Lucas takes Eliott's hand in his own and kisses him gently.

''Nothing. Rest. You were right, Eliott, we have to go. I'm ready to go. As soon as you're better, we're both gonna leave."

Eliott nods, resting his head against Lucas' head, eyes closed.

''Okay.''

Eliott immediately goes back to sleep and Lucas does the same thing. It is Olivia's voice that wakes him up a few hours later and Lucas immediately jumps out of Eliott's bed, takes the time to kiss him on the cheek and leaves the room. Sergeant Rossil beckons him to come.

"The major says, if you can walk, you can go back to class."

Lucas nods and follows him. He try to smiles at his friends as he enters the classroom and sits down next to Yann as usual. The biology teacher looks at him frowning and Lucas can see that she looks at him during the whole class but he tries not to pay attention. When the bell rings, he puts his things in his bag but she gently puts her hand on his arm to prevent him from leaving and waits until the other students have left to talk.

"They told me you got into a fight with a senior, Lucas. Is that true?"

Lucas nods reluctantly. Is that the official version? That he got into a fight with Eliott? Do even the other students really think that's the truth? They all know that Eliott was not there that morning. But maybe they're all angry at Lucas because they just found out that he's the Major's son and they feel betrayed. 

The biology teacher looks at him, insisting and Lucas looks away.

''I have to go to economics class, ma'am.''

She lets go of his arm, obviously reluctantly, and Lucas sighs as he leaves the room.

''Lallemant!''

Lucas turns to look at the Major walking towards him.

''You have no more chores from today. Just behave yourself and everything will be fine."

He looks at the biology teacher and that's when Lucas understands: his asshole father is afraid the teachers will find out what he did. Because he might lose his job. And frankly, if it wasn't for Eliott waiting for him in the infirmary, at that very moment, Lucas would be screaming to tell the truth. But if he's telling the truth, maybe he'll have to leave here, and he can't just leave without Eliott. He can't leave Eliott here. 

Neither Eliott, nor Yann, nor Basile, nor Arthur...or anyone else for that matter. He can't just leave and abandon everyone. He has to find a way to make everything better here.

So he nods and walks up the corridor to the classroom. 

He doesn't see Eliott again for two days, but Sergeant Daiffe comes discreetly to give him some news. Some students had to clean the graffiti on the building, but we can still guess the raccoon and the hedgehog. Lucas doesn't know what Eliott used to do that, but it's really tenacious.

Every night, when he's in bed, he puts on Eliott's ring. He has no idea what it means to him, but to Lucas, it means Eliott and it's enough to make him feel like they're there for each other. 

When he gets up on Wednesday morning and takes the ring off to hide it in his things again, Lucas decides that no matter what happens today, he will go to see Eliott. But when he joins the refectory for breakfast, Eliott is there. He looks good, he's even rolled up his sleeves to the elbows and looks really good, but there's something different about him.

Eliott doesn't smile at him when their eyes meet, he doesn't wink at him or give him a sign that he's getting better. And it doesn't take Lucas long to understand that he is running away from his gaze. All day long, he only thinks about that and when 6 pm arrives, he waits for Eliott in front of his bedroom.

Eliott looks at him and looks away with a sigh.

''I have to go take my shower, Lucas. I'm sorry."

Lucas puts his hand on his arm and Eliott jumps back.

''I have to go, Lucas, and you'd better go too.''

Eliott opens the door to his bedroom, slipping to the side and Lucas enters in the bedroom before slamming the door behind them. He looks at Alex who is lying on his bed and shows him the door. He doesn't even have to talk for Alex to get up and rush outside.

''Eliott, talk to me, please.''

Eliott looks at him and then looks down.

''I can't even look at you, Lucas. Every time I see your cut lip and your bruises, I feel so bad. It's all my fault. I messed it all up. I knew I would and yet I was selfish and I put you through it. I'm sorry, Lucas. You have to stay away from me. It's over."

Lucas shakes his head, joins Eliott and tries to touch him, but Eliott steps back.

''It's not your fault, it's my asshole father's fault. Don't let him ruin our story."

Eliott steps back again, banging into the wall.

''I can't hurt you any more than I already have, Lucas.''

Lucas gently grabs his hand, squeezing it gently.

''You've done me more good than anyone has ever done, and I'm not just talking about sex. Don't leave me here alone. I need you. I love you, Eliott."

Eliott finally looks into Lucas' eyes and sighs.

''I'm sorry."

And then Lucas feels the storm raging inside him. A flood of emotions like he's never felt before, an anger worse than the one he feels for his father.

''No, you're not fucking sorry. So that's it? You don't give a fuck about me? I'm telling you I love you. I've never said that to anybody and you're pushing me away? I was just an easy lay to you? Maybe it wasn't anything for you, but for me"

''I love you too!" Eliott yells out, "I want to protect you, damn it. What do you think? I've been totally in love with you ever since I saw you on the train."

Lucas feels the storm instantly calm down inside him and gently approaches Eliott, taking his hand and this time Eliott lets himself be taken in.

''What train?''

Eliott rolls his eyes while sighing.

''The train that brought you here. I was a few rows away from you and I watched you the whole trip but you didn't see me. You didn't even see that we were on the same bus afterwards. I never had so much anger and sadness on such a pretty face and I really wanted to make you smile. But I destroy everything around me, Lucas. Look how much you've already suffered because of me."

Lucas shakes his head, lets go of Eliott's hand so that his fingers can run down Eliott's arm and up to his cheek.

''I love you. Everything else doesn't matter."

Eliott nods softly, letting out a sigh.

"I love you, too."

Lucas nods before moving closer and stops just before he lays his lips on Eliott's lips.

"So don't leave me alone. I need you."

Eliott nods gently before kissing Lucas. He hugs each other with his head on his shoulder and stays that way for a while.

"When I was in the nurse's office, did you talk about leaving, or was it all in my head?"

Lucas nods gently without moving from Eliott's arms.

''It was real."

Eliott gently strokes his cheek.

''Do you really want to leave?"

Lucas shakes his head and looks up, a big smile on his face.

''No, I've got something better. I want to organize a mutiny. I declare open war."


	8. The mutiny

Lucas finally gets a taste for not having chores anymore. It's really cool to be able to have dinner with his friends. His bruises disappear over the days and his wounds close up, physically at least. 

Basile is punished two Mondays in a row and frankly Lucas doesn't understand that the instructors still haven't figured out their manege. It's been two and a half weeks since Eliott and Lucas literally screamed their love at each other and they've been happy ever since. Sometimes Lucas feels like he's happy in a place where he shouldn't be and it's kind of weird. 

But when he sees Basile come back with a huge smile from the laundry chore, he knows he's not the only one who feels that way. And Basile really looks like he's going to explode the whole time, so he explodes right when the four of them get back to their room.

''She kissed me! She kissed me!"

Lucas puts his hand over Basile's mouth to make him stop screaming.

''Keep it down, Baz!''

Basile shakes his head to remove Lucas' hand and smiles.

''It's because of you, damn it. She said she didn't think I was that brave and she kissed me."

"I'm super happy for both of you," said Lucas, punching him in the fist.

"Are we talking about Daphne?" Arthur asks, raising an eyebrow.

Yann hits him on the back of the head with a sigh.

"Of course we're talking about Daphne!" Basile grumbles. ''She's telling you to be careful, Lulu. All the girls support us. We couldn't even take all of them, but we've got plenty to go around. The distribution is already done. We are ready.''

Lucas takes a slight breath, trying to convince himself it's going to be okay.

''You can still move back Lulu.'' says softly Yann ''It's better right now, isn't it?''

Lucas shakes his head, sure of himself.

''No. We're going to do it. We're going to fight."

They all hug each other and stay like that for a few minutes.

''I don't like this plan.'' grumbles Yann.

''I know.'' Lucas says softly ''But it's the only way. Yesterday with Sergeant Martin, they locked the first years in a dark cellar just to teach them not to be afraid. At least 10 of them were injured. This is a high school, it's not normal. We're not fucking criminals. We have to show the outside world what's going on here."

They stand out from each other and Lucas gently caresses Basile's skull.

''Maybe someday we'll be able to have hair here. Do you realize that? Maybe we can get our phones and stop running all the time. Girls have rights here, we should have them too."

Basile smiles as he puts his hand on his head and nods before getting into bed. Lucas lies down in his boxer shorts, and touches Eliott's ring which has been put back on his finger like every night.

''Whatever happens, we stick to the plan! Just the plan, guys, okay? Nobody tries to play superhero, or he'll ruin everything. Just the plan."

There are three barely audible "OKs" and Lucas is waiting. He's waiting until the hallway is empty and to make sure no one comes to check their room. Tonight it is Sergeant Martin, alias Dickhead, who is on guard for the dormitories. Lucas waits and then gets up slowly to go to Eliott's room. He slips silently into his bed and Eliott immediately surrounds him with his arms.

''I love you, Lucas, but I don't like it.''

''I know, my love. Just trust me, okay? Please do as we said, I don't want to worry about you."

Eliott nods, putting his head against Lucas' head.

''Try to get some sleep, Eliott, we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow. We're gonna make it."

Eliott kisses him gently, letting his hand play with his hair.

''I love you so much.''

And then, as Lucas had imagined, Eliott stretches out in one go and shakes his head.

''Fuck, I can't do it. You can't do that. We're calling the whole thing off. We'll figure something else out. SOrry but no, you can't do that !"

Lucas shakes his head, pushing Eliott to get on his back and sit on his thighs.

''I'm sorry, my love, I knew you were gonna say that. Remember, I'm doing this for us, okay? I love you."

He bends over to kiss him, and the door jerks open.

''You see Major!'' says Charles ''They fuck every night like this, it's just unbearable.''

The Major grabs Lucas by the arm, dragging him down the hallway and Lucas has just enough time to see Charles and Alex holding Eliott so they don't follow them. 

"I was already ashamed that you're my son, you have to be a fucking faggot!" shouts the Major as he pushes him against the wall.

Sergeant Martin comes running in, but takes a big smile when he sees what's going on.

"A faggot!" shouts the Major, pushing him against the wall again so that he goes "Your mother really messed up with you. You're going to become a man! You're all going to become men here!"

Lucas stops, looks quickly to his left and takes a deep breath.

''I'm a man! I'm not doing anything wrong, dad, I'm in love with him."

Lucas finds himself on the ground almost before he finishes his sentence. His father spits on him and kicks him in the ribs before forcing him to get up. A door slams at the end of the hallway and this simple noise is enough to reassure Lucas. 

The sergeant turns around to look at the empty hallway and frowns even more loudly when he sees Lucas' smile.

''You're not going to smile for long. You little prick."

Lucas is taken outside and finds himself hanging from a pole in the dining hall in his boxers. And yet the only thing he can do is smile.

''Are you dumb or just stupid?'' shouts the sergeant, hitting him, ''I've always disgusted fags like you. Dare to fuck in a dorm full of other boys."

"We never did that!" Lucas yells out, "We're in love, that's all!"

The major hits him but Lucas doesn't lose his smile.

"Go get Demaury!"

The sergeant nods with a big smile and Lucas can't help but be scared to death for Eliott. Because he is certain that he will want to play the great lords.

''So what?'' shouts Lucas ''Are you going to hit me again? Kill me? It wasn't enough last time?"

"Don't tempt me!" yells his father. "Vermin like you deserve nothing less! If it wasn't for Sergeant Daiffe's intervention, you would have gotten what you deserved and maybe you wouldn't be here now. But I told him: "In this school, we must break the students so that they can rebuild themselves and become real men."

Lucas gets a blow on the head, not really knowing where he came from and everything starts to turn around him. Just before closing his eyes, he touches Eliott's ring, still on his finger. He takes a second blow and everything turns black.

When he comes back to himself, Eliott is hanging right next to him and also bears wound marks. He has a blue eye, a swollen lip, and he definitely had a nosebleed at one point. And all Lucas can think about is that he shouldn't be there.

''Damn it, Eliott, you had to get the fuck out of there!''

Eliott looks up at him, visibly angry.

''And you weren't supposed to change the plan! Damn it, Lucas, I'm gonna fucking kill you with my hands cause I hate you so much."

Lucas smiles, almost giggling and grabs Eliott's fingers.

''I know that's not true.''

Eliott sighs before smiling at him, caressing Lucas' fingers as much as he can with his own.

"No. I love you. But don't ever leave me out again."

Lucas sighs as he looks down.

''Sorry. I knew you'd chicken out. Are you sure this is okay?"

Eliott nods with a big smile.

''I think so. I hope so."

Lucas watches his father come towards them, a big smile on his face, two belts in his hands and all the other students, some visibly just woken up, behind them and he looks at Eliott.

''I hope you're right. ''

"Two lines!'' shouts the Major, giving a belt to the Sergeant ''each of you will come and give them a blow to put them back on the right track! It is in suffering that one learns to be reborn! You will help them to become a good person! Whoever does not want to strike will sit next to them and will be struck in turn."

And of course, as a leader must always set an example, the Major strikes Lucas while the Sergeant strikes Eliott. They clasp their hands together, holding back their cries. They won't give them the satisfaction of hearing them scream.

Charles and Yann step forward to be the first to pass.

"I understand," said the Major as he gave the belt to Yann. "It must be hard to know that his friend is a fucking faggot. Think of how many times he had to look at you in the shower and jerk off thinking about it."

Yann took the belt and smiled a big smile, just like Charles.

''Precisely, Major, justice be done.''

Lucas closes his eyes and holds his breath. He can't see that.


	9. The leave

If we ask him what he remembers, Lucas won't say anything. But in fact, that's not true. He remembers two things: Eliott's hand shaking his, and the sound of the sirens. Maybe he will hear the sound of the sirens for the rest of his life, coming closer, giving him the impression of being saved. Which is totally silly because he didn't really need to be saved. 

Their plan worked exactly as they had imagined and as soon as Yann and Charles hit the Major and the Sergeant instead of hitting Lucas and Eliott, all the students jumped on them. Lucas and Eliott were unhooked, while the two superiors took their places and they all waited for the police to arrive. 

When Sergeant Daiffe and Sergeant Rossil arrived in the dining hall and saw the other two hanging from the pole, Sergeant Rossil tried to intervene but 75 guys stood up against him and he was forced to back off. 

The videos of Lucas being hit by his father had already reached an incredible number of viewers before the police arrived. It was the only way to make sure the case would not be covered up: to show the world what was going on here. The contrast with the videos filmed and posted by the girls the week before was more than startling.

''Lucas? Can I ask you a few questions?"

Lucas was startled, the reporter standing too close to him, feeling trapped.

''Get out of my room!''

The guy in his thirties smiles at him and looks at his pad, already holding his pen.

"You've caused a whole controversy of cruelty and homophobia within the military high school of Ardon by publishing videos on social networks. How did you get the idea to do that? Where did you get the phones? Who filmed all this?''

Lucas sighs. He's certainly not going to say that the phones in question all belonged to the girls, he just doesn't want them to get into trouble because of him. He will never thank Basile enough for being punished two weeks in a row to make this plan work: once to explain the plan to the girls, and the second time to get the phones back from those who wanted to help them. And there were so many that Basile and Charles couldn't take them all, but it allowed them to film from several points of view what happened in the dormitories. He won't say that some of the senior students were hiding in the showers, that Alex filmed the whole scene from his room, that it was Basile who had to discreetly film what was happening in the corridor while the students held Yann to prevent him from coming to help Lucas. He won't say that it was Arthur who snuck into the night to film from the kitchens the whole scene in the refectory. 

''It was a group work.''

The journalist looks at him and frowns.

''You paid more than the others. Apart from your dislocated shoulder, what other damage did you do?''

"Get out of his room!"

Lucas smiles as he looks at Eliott, who grabs the reporter and throws him out and closes the door. 

''Your love story is on everyone's lips in the country, we just want to know more about you.''

Eliott opens the door and stands in front of the journalist.

''Let us rest, we're in a hospital, you have no right to be here. Do you think he hasn't suffered enough?''

The journalist looks at Lucas and lowers his head.

''Sorry.''

Eliott closes the door and climbs into Lucas' bed, gently wrapping him in his arms, paying attention to his harness.

''Don't make me look like a fucking martyr.''

Eliott bends over, kissing him gently.

''I just wanted him to leave us alone. They're really annoying. Okay, I just saw your mom, they decided to shut down the school for a week while they do an internal investigation."

''I know.'' Lucas sighs. ''She just got out of here before that little prick came at me. She's taking me home."

Lucas feels his lip quiver and he sighs.

''I don't want to leave without you.''

Eliott looks at him and smiles.

''I'm going home too, Lucas. But remember, you, we took the same train. I also live in Paris, idiot."

Lucas feels really stupid for not thinking about it and holds Eliott close to him.

"Then you'll come see me?"

Eliott nods his head and smiles.

"I'm counting on it. My parents want to meet you. We're going to be a real couple: walking outside hand in hand, going to our favorite places, to restaurants, having a party with our friends. We have a week's respite. Paradise."

Lucas closes his eyes, trying to think about what it would be like to be outside with Eliott, to live a real life with him, far away from this school. Without a uniform.

Lucas lowered his eyes on his hand and smiles as he removes the ring still on his finger before putting it in Eliott's hand.

"There's no need to keep it safe anymore. I was wondering...why do you care so much?''

Eliott glugs, turns the ring in his hand and puts it back on Lucas' finger.

''It's just a ring, it doesn't matter. But it created a bond between us. I wanted you to be something of mine. I wanted you to remember me. I wanted to stand out from the crowd."

Lucas gently caresses Eliott's cheek and smiles.

''Since the first time I saw you, only you matter, Eliott.''

Eliott bends over to kiss him and the bedroom door opens almost immediately.

''Let's go home, boys. Eliott, I just got off the phone with your parents, you're coming home with us. Come on, I'll take you home."

As soon as they're in the car, Lucas puts his head on Eliott's shoulder and closes his eyes. 

''You can sleep, babe. It's all good."

Eliott intertwines their fingers and Lucas sighs with a smile.

''I'm not sleeping, I'm resting my eyes.''

Lucas smiles, knowing he's talking bullshit and feels Eliott's head resting on his own.

...

''Lucas, wake up babe.''

Lucas sighs as he looks at the walls of his bedroom. It's been a week since they came home and today the school opens its doors. Fingers gently caress his cheek and Lucas turns to look at Eliott smiling at him.

''Hi, beautiful.''

''Good morning.''

Eliott kisses him gently.

''I'm gonna miss waking up without you next to me.''

Lucas closes his eyes for just two seconds, looking back on the week. It was just like Eliott said it would be: paradise. They spent every day and every night of the week together. In the end, Eliott's parents are much nicer than Lucas expected, and they are as frustrated as Lucas' mother was about having to let him go to military school. Eliott kept saying it was his fault and not theirs, but they are really sad to have to let him go back. They are pressing charges against Lucas' father and the sergeant for assaulting their son and Lucas is really happy about that.

They went to eat three times at the restaurant and smiled like idiots when the waitress called them ''lovers". They spent afternoons walking around the city, showing each other their favorite places, and on other days, they just stayed at Lucas' house: Eliott drawing and Lucas playing the piano.

And this week that went by far too fast is over. Lucas looks at their two uniforms, sitting on his desk chair and sighs.

''I'd like to wake up with you every morning.''

''You know you will!'' Arthur grunts.

''It's clear!'' says Yann as he sits down ''You know you'll sneak out every night and no one will say anything. Think of those who have girlfriends only a few miles away but who won't see them. Right, Baz?"

Basile makes a kind of growl, showing that he was still sleeping and that he would have liked to sleep more, and everyone starts laughing.

''Come on, get up! We deserve to see what's changed.''

And it quickly becomes a merry mess in Lucas' room, between the uniforms, the air mattresses, and Basile who doesn't want to wake up. And Lucas laughs, trying not to think about the changes that await them in high school. The only thing they know is that Sergeant Daiffe is taking over the school with three new sergeants. Lucas's father and Sergeant Martin have been charged and are being prosecuted on a host of charges. Former students come forward every day to tell the horrors suffered because of them, and Sergeant Rossil has asked to be transferred.

Although Lucas is eager to find out what has changed in the school, he's also afraid to go back. But Lucas will not listen to that fear. They got what he wanted, and he is not going to abandon his friends now.

And that's why after breakfast, when his mother asks him for the hundredth time if he's sure of himself, Lucas nods and puts his bag on his back.

''I'm sure, Mom. I want to go back there.''


	10. The new rules

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay, small problem of deleted file on my computer...but this time it's ok, here's our happy ending.

Lucas gets up and puts on his military jacket, buttoning it up to the top, rolling up the sleeves to the elbows. He looks at Eliott who is also getting dressed and smiles at him. The bus parks in front of the high school and Lucas is the first to get off. Eliott grabs his arm, stops him and undoes the hems so that Lucas' uniform is correctly put on and then kisses him before passing the school gates, Basile right next to them. 

Lucas sees Yann and Arthur, already in line and raises his hand to greet them. He kisses Eliott one last time and they return each one to their respective rows.

''Bag on the ground!''

Lucas puts his bag down, like all the guys in the school and they all stand still, at attention while their respective sergeants come to inspect the troops, nodding their heads. Sergeant Daiffe takes a huge smile and winks at them before starting to speak, loud and clear.

''It's good to see you again! I hope the vacations have been good. Break it up! Go back to your rooms, you have 45 minutes before the first class. Welcome back guys."

They pick up their bags and head rather quietly to the dormitories. In fact, they are all calm, except for Basile who is hopping around.

''I can't wait! I can't wait! I can't wait!"

Lucas sighs and runs a hand through Basile's hair.

"I hope you're going to comb your hair before you see her because this sucks."

Basile speeds up the pace while Lucas slows down to wait for Eliott.

''You're mean, he had a good haircut. Better than you."

Eliott gently pulls his hair, before ruffling it, and Lucas is forced to shake his head back to be able to see properly. He looks at Eliott and sighs as he enters the building.

''Why are you sad, babe?''

Lucas sighs again, shaking Eliott's hand in his.

''In two months you'll have finished high school and then you'll be away from here. These are our last moments together here, it's sad.''

Eliott shrugs his shoulders, taking Lucas in his arms even though they are in the middle of the passage. 

"Guys, get a room," laughs Alex as he passes by.

''Yeah. That's a good idea."

Eliott slides his hand into Lucas' hand and they walk back up to their room. The new rules allow the students to choose their roommates, so Eliott joins Yann, Arthur, Basile and Lucas' room. And even though they normally have a bed each, everyone, even the sergeants know very well that they spend their nights together. And it's so perfect.

And everyone knows that they are not the only ones to do so. There are three other couples of guys now. In fact, two other couples already existed before theirs, and took advantage of the new rules to come out. Lucas looks at their room, decorated with a million pictures of them and the girls, and frankly, six months ago, when they organized the mutiny, he never imagined that life would be so beautiful afterwards.

Lucas opens his bag and pulls out his Romance sweater. On Sundays, they are allowed to dress as they want, so now they can bring clothes from outside. And oddly enough, since they are allowed to do so, Lucas likes the uniform a little more. Or maybe it's because Eliott is always so hot in his uniform. 

A knock at the door rings out and the five of them turn their heads, but Lucas doesn't leave Eliott's arms while Jerome greets them.

"Everything's okay here?"

They all nod with a smile and the sergeant moves on to the next room. Unlike Lucas' father, he understood that it wasn't just terror that made people listen: mutual trust works too. The rules are less strict, and there are no more chores in the evening. Instead, there is a schedule to help Franck or Maria and Lucas likes to go from time to time, especially now that even if he does, he is allowed to have dinner afterwards. 

Lucas tidies up his things and spends the rest of the time chatting with his buddies, while being in Eliott's arms.

"It's time." Basile yells when the bell rings, "I don't want to be late."

They all watch as Basile almost runs out of the room and then comes back for his school bag. They go down hand in hand but Lucas has to let go of Eliott's hand in front of the main building because Eliott has to get on the bus that takes him to class.

''I love you. I'll see you tonight."

Eliott kisses him and the bus driver honks his horn.

''One day we'll leave without you, Demaury! And you'll have to run!"

Eliott gets on the bus and laughs.

"I'm here."

Lucas beckons him and then joins his classroom running because he is the last one. Basile holds Daphne's hand under the desk, and it's just too cute to see.

"Lulu, come on!"

Lucas sits next to Yann who strokes Emma's thigh under the desk and regrets it almost immediately.

"Oh...I hate holding the candle!"

Yann hits him in the back of the head while the others guys are moaning.

''Hey! You've got Eliott all night and we don't say anything. The girls are only there for the lessons, let us take advantage of that."

Lucas sighs, opening his textbook. Selfishly, it's the change that he likes the least, but since he's happy for his friends, he makes do with it. Anyway, he has no choice. The girls' and boys' schools have merged for classes. The second and first graders go to the boys' school, and the seniors go to the girls' school. Eliott therefore leaves from 8am to 6pm. There is still the morning training, but there is no longer the 2 hours of daily military exercises and the evening run has disappeared. With this new schedule, they don't have classes on Saturdays anymore, so the guys spend the day together around a sport: soccer, basketball, paintball, obstacle course, treasure hunt...it's still physical training, but it's way more fun than being yelled at all the time. And once a month they spend Saturdays mingled at the girls' school and it's really cool.

''Come on Lulu, stop bitching, your Prince Charming will be back in a few hours.''

Lucas sighs a little more because soon it won't be true anymore. In a few months, Eliott will have finished high school and will be able to stay in Paris, and Lucas is now torn between wanting to stay with his mother, and finishing his schooling in a normal high school, which would allow him to see Eliott; or stay here, with his friends. Lucas is so proud of the changes at this school, and he's so surrounded by his friends that he doesn't want to abandon them, so he can't choose. 

He knows that his mom will be totally okay with both choices, and so will Eliott and his friends, so it's up to him, but he just can't choose. A few months ago, he would have given anything to leave this school, and now he's hesitating to stay.

There are still 15 days to make up his mind, so he's putting it off for today. And at 6h pm, when he sees Eliott's huge smile when he gets off the bus that brings him back from his school day, it doesn't help him make up his mind at all. He will never be able to spend a year seeing this pretty smile only during the vacations.

''I did it! I did it!"

Sergeant Daiffe comes over to tap him on the back, congratulating him, and Lucas frowns, not even understanding what he's talking about.

Eliott waves a paper in front of his eyes but he does it so quickly that Lucas sees nothing. 

''Is this your school?"

Eliott nods, totally overexcited.

"I got accepted to film school!"

Lucas hugs him, his heart tightening a little more knowing that Eliott will be away from him very soon.

"Did you hear that, babe? Oh Lucas, you're not listening to me right now."

Lucas shakes his head back to reality and looks at Eliott smiling at him.

''What?"

''They agreed to let me do a movie about this high school for my freshman project. I will come here every weekend and several weeks during the year for that. I will come back often."

Lucas blinks twice and looks at the sergeant who nods before jumping into Eliott's arms.

''You will come back..."

Eliott shakes his head as he kisses him.

"For you, always."

Eliott still has the power to make Lucas forget where they are just by kissing him, and now that's just what's happening.

''Guys, go take your showers or you're gonna run out of time.''

Eliott says a _"Yes, Sergeant"_ and then lifts Lucas up against him and carries him to their buildings. And Lucas is more than happy to let himself be carried, surrounding Eliott's hips with his legs, letting his head rest on his shoulder.

He looks at the new school motto, painted on the wall and smiles.

'' Educate, support"

If his father saw that, he would be totally crazy, and that makes Lucas smile a little bit more.


End file.
